Page:Dick Sands the Boy Captain.djvu/136

 IIO DICK SANDS, THE BOY CAPTATN. floor. The accident was not discovered until the following moming. Whether the métal férule that had attached the instrument to the rafters had become rusty, or whether ît had been wom away by additional friction it seemed impossible to settle. Ail that could be said was that the compass was broken beyond repair. Dick was extremely grieved at the loss ; but he did not consider that ' any one was to be blamed for the mishap, and could only résolve for the future to take extra care of the compass in the binnacle. With the exception of this contretemps^ everythîng appeared to go on satisfactorily on board. Mrs. Weldon, reassured by Dick*s confidence, had regaîned much of her wonted calmness, and was besides ever supported by a sincère religions spirit. She and Dick had many a long conversation together. The ingenuous lad was always ready to take the kînd and intelligent lady into his counsel, and day by day would point out to her on the chart the registers he made as the resuit of his dead reckoning ; he would then try and satisfy her that under the prevailing wind there could be no doubt they must arrive at the coast of South America : moreover, he said that, unless he was much mîstaken, they should sight the land at no great distance from Valparaiso. Mrs. Weldon had, in truth, no reason to question the correctness of Dick's représentations ; she owned that pro- vided the wind remained in the same favourable quarter, there was every prospect of their reaching land in safety ; nevertheless at times she could not resist the misgiving that would arise when she contemplated what might be the resuit of a change of wind or a breaking of the weather. With the light-heartedness that belonged to his âge, Jack soon fell back into his accustomed pursuits, and was to be seen merrily running over the deck or rompîng with Dingo. At times, it is true, he misscd the companionship of Dick ; but his mother made him comprehend that now that Dick was captain, his tîme was too much occupied to allow him any leisure for play, and the child quite understood that he must not interrupt his old friend in his new duties.